Features

Jackett Makes His Point

PUBLISHED

18:56 23rd November 2013

Head Coach's thoughts after lively draw

Overall I felt it was two good teams and I’m not disappointed with a point"

Kenny Jackett

Kenny Jackett was pleased enough with a point from an in-form Brentford side who had won their previous six – but felt Wolves could have made more of their superior amount of possession at Molineux this afternoon.

A goalless draw was anything but dull – indeed at times it was end-to-end –as Sky Bet League One’s two form teams locked horns and finished up sharing the spoils in front of almost 20,000.

There were certainly good chances at both ends, Leigh Griffiths firing an excellent shot against the inside of the post in the first half but Carl Ikeme then producing a fantastic late save to deny Alan McCormack’s volley late on.

“We possibly didn’t quite do enough to win the game,” said Jackett, whose saw his team enjoy 56 per cent of possession during a tight contest.

“We dominated for long spells of the game and had a lot of the ball but didn’t create the chances that our possession warranted.

“We maybe deserved to have got a goal or two especially in the early period of the game.

“Brentford are a good side and they were hard to break down and have got some potency on the counter attack.

“They sat deep and let us have the ball but are good on the break and (Clayton) Donaldson down the right hand side is a big presence for them.

“They had a flurry at the end where it looked like we ran out of steam a little bit and they were breaking off our bad play at times so we have to address that.

“I picked an attack-minded side and we need to be doing that at home and trying to attack sides and it was a cat and mouse game that was very cagey.

“We just need to build on that and get the goals that we need by finding that end product.

“There were many things I was pleased with about the performance and in particular another clean sheet.

“Our goals against column is excellent and we want to keep it like that because it gives us a base and keeps us competitive.

“Going forward, when have more of the ball, we are just looking at what more we can do with it and have the right options both on the pitch and on the substitutes bench.

“It was maybe about one of our front two taking one of the chances in that second period.

“But overall I felt it was two good teams and I’m not disappointed with a point.

“It’s another point from a game involving two good teams and now we move on to Tranmere on Tuesday night.”

There were a couple of contentious decisions in the second half when Michael Jacobs, who enjoyed an impressive debut, appeared to be fouled right on the edge of the penalty area and then Griffiths and McCormack clashes after the Wolves man appeared to get the wrong side of the defender.

“I didn’t think the one on Leigh was a foul,” said Jackett.

“But I felt the one on Michael Jacobs was definitely a foul – I’m not sure if it was on the line or outside the box.

“There were one or two penalty shouts and sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t, I accept that.”

Griffiths was a lively presence up front for Wolves and linked up well with Kevin Doyle, the only thing missing from the partnership being a goal.

“Leigh could have had a few goals today,” said Jackett.

“He’s been starting games very well and he did that again today and looked very sharp.

“He had quite a high number of shots today and usually doesn’t need that many to score goals.

“But people that do get chances and get shots in regularly do score goals and that is what Leigh can do.

“He is thinking shots and goals all the time which is good in striker.

“There are certain aspects of his build-up play where I’d like him to be a little bit safer and perhaps at times more reliable.

“I do understand that goalscorers do think goals and it’s no bad thing to have one player thinking like that.

“I think the two of them do like playing together and a lot of their game was good today.

“The introduction of the two lads from the bench could have come earlier but it just gave us a little bit more emphasis and made them aware of us.

“But it’s not just about the forwards scoring goals but contributions from everywhere.

“We had a lot of corners today and have to make sure we get our quota from set pieces and a goal or two from midfield.

“In James Henry and Sako we’ve got nine goals between them and Michael Jacobs came in today and had a pleasing debut.

“He’s got a goal in him while I felt Dave Edwards was excellent in midfield and played very well and he can score at the right time as well.

“Jacobs did well and Dave has been a good addition to us in that midfield role giving us quite a lot of experience in there and making some very good decisions.”

But in summary Jackett was pleased with a hard-earned point believing Wolves and Brentford should both be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

“I think both clubs will be involved in the shake-up this season,” he added.

“They are good sides and good clubs and it was a good high quality game.”